Lungo Katete was crowned Miss Earth South Africa 2019 in September as she won the right to represent her country in Miss Earth 2020. Lungo is a 22-year-old aspiring Architect who recently completed her Bachelors in Architecture at the University of the Witwatersrand. She is an artist in everything she does, from the way she speaks to the way in which she carries herself.
In the midst of her busy schedule, the stunning beauty has taken out time to talk about her advocacy, dreams, ambitions and guilty pleasures in an exclusive interview with Angelopedia.
INTERVIEW
Q. How does it feel to be Miss Earth South Africa 2019 and now a delegate of Miss Earth 2020?
It truly is an honor to be Miss Earth South Africa, I feel privileged to be given to opportunity to not only make a difference in everything that I do, but to also represent our beautiful nation.
Q. What inspired you to the world of pageantry?
The ability to inspire and make a difference.
Q. How would you like to represent yourself at the international stage of Miss Earth 2020?
By staying true to myself and what I stand for with grace. In life I have realized that a lot of people are trying to be like someone else, so being yourself is your greatest superpower.
Q. Would you like to tell us something about your advocacy?
My focus during my year of service is Waste Stops With Me, as individuals we believe it is not our waste therefore it doesn’t apply to us. My aim is to help people understand that as much as it is not directly our waste, this is our planet and we are responsible for taking care of it as much as it takes care of us. We are slowly damaging our planet and the only way we can move forward and make a change is if waste stops with me. If we choose to live in a way that encourages, motivates and allows us to enhance and not damage our beautiful planet we are already one step closer to achieving the impossible.
Q. Who is your role model, if any, and what values of his or her do you wish you could inculcate in your own life, and teach the next generation?
Jada Pinkett Smith because she has never let anything stand in her way, she is ambitious and always strives to achieve her dreams regardless of what people say and think. She has helped me realize that “you always have to remember to take care of yourself first and foremost, because when you stop taking care of yourself you get out of balance and you really forget how to take care of others."
Q. What is the one thing that keeps you going and inspires you to be the best version of yourself?
Being able to make someone smile. There is something so beautiful and fulfilling about bringing joy and happiness to a world that sometimes feels so empty at times.
Q. Would you like to share your most special childhood memory with us?
When I was about 5 years old I wanted to be a ballerina, I had found a pair of ballet shoes and would stand anywhere in the living room and teach myself how to dance like a ballerina. I knew absolutely nothing about ballet, but I practiced with confidence and determination. That was when my love for art, music and the ability to express one’s self all began.
Q. If you could be invisible for a day, how would you like to spend it?
If I were invisible for the day I would go around singing, dancing and doing things to make people smile and laugh because happiness is the greatest gift of all.
Q. What or who empowers you to be yourself and work hard every day?
“Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu” meaning “I am because we are”.
The one think that keeps me going and allows the fire within me to continue burning are those around me. Without my family, friends and the stories of people I encounter in my daily life, I wouldn’t be the woman I am today. I strive not only for myself but to bring peace, love and happiness to those around me.
Q. What is the one thing you can label as your guilty pleasure?
My guilty pleasure is definitely chocolate and ice cream, if you give me that, I will be the happiest person in the world.
Q. We’re sure that this competition is another milestone in your life. What is that one thing that you ultimately want to achieve?
As much as I want to protect our beautiful planet, my soul purpose is to create and cultivate a world where the environment does not need protecting.
Q. If you are granted three wishes right now, what would you ask for?
First and foremost I would ask for the eradication of poverty and hunger because we all deserve to live a life without worry. Poverty is not natural, it is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the action of human beings.
The second thing I would ask for is a planet where the entire human race is able to take responsibility for their actions and work together towards creating a better planet not only for ourselves but for future generations to enjoy. I could wish for a better planet, but that wouldn’t stop us as humans from causing harm.
The last thing I would wish for is happiness.
Q. Lastly, is there any message that you would like to give to your fans of Angelopedia?
Impossible is not a declaration it’s a dare. We may think it is impossible to salvage what is left of this planet, but the change starts with every little decision we make in our daily lives. You’re probably thinking “but I’m just one person, what could I possibly do?” I need you to realize that there is so much strength in even the smallest actions we make every single day, if you choose to pick up one piece of paper and everyone in the entire African continent picks up just one single piece of paper that is already 1.216 billion pieces of paper. We are already one step closer to achieving the impossible.